Regional

8:37 am

Thu September 5, 2013

NM Official Suggests State Acquire Federal Land

State Land Commissioner Ray Powell says New Mexico could generate more money for education by buying some federal land when it's put up for sale in the future by the government.

Powell said in a statement Wednesday the Bureau of Land Management occasionally sells land and some parcels might be suitable for the Land Office to generate revenue from grazing, energy production or commercial development.

Public education is partly financed with earnings from a permanent fund that receives royalties and other income from land given to New Mexico by the federal government at statehood.

Powell said acquiring BLM "disposal land" could be an alternative to a legislative proposal for increasing the yearly payout from the Land Grant Permanent Fund and earmarking the extra money for early childhood programs.

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